Refrigerating apparatus



Feb. 6, 1940. A. A. KUCHER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. '6, 19 40. KUCHER 2,189,494

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 6, 1940 1 ATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Andrew A. Kucher, Dayton, Ohio, assignor, by

mcsne assignments, .to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application November 26, 1932, Serial No. 644,475

22 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to the type adapted for household refrigeration.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a refrigerator in which the cabinet and the refrigerating system are so associated, that the heat generated in the system will be emciently dissipated by convection currents.

Another object of this invention is to provide a refrigerator in whichthe cabinet and the refrigerating system are so assembled, that the refrigerating system may be readily removed from the cabinet for shipment and repair.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig, 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken alongthe line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the rear portion of the refrigerator.

A refrigerator embodying features of this invention includes, in general, a cabinet, and a refrigerating system. The cabinet may include an interior food preserving compartment [0 and another compartment or zone II at its lower portion, this compartment being open at its bottom as indicated at l2. The cabinet also includes upwardly directed side walls, such as l3, l4 and I5 and the food compartment is provided with a bottom wall' I 6 spaced from the floor, upon which the cabinet rests, by legs H. The food compartment may be closed by one or more doors l8 as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The refrigerating system associated with the cabinet includes a refrigerant translating device such as compressor IS, the condenser 20, and the evaporator 2|. The compressor, which in this particular embodiment may be an hermetically sealed casing containing a gas pump and an electric motor for furnishing the driving power, forwards the compressed refrigerant to the condenser 20 through the compressed refrigerant line 22 which is connected to the interior of the condensing space near the top. The refrigerant is condensed in the condenser and flows to the bottom receiver or header 23 from whence it flows through the liquid refrigerant line 24 to the evaporator 2|. From thence it returns through the evaporated refrigerant line 25 (adjacent to the line 24) and is recompressed in the compressor or refrigerant translating device 19.

The condenser 20 is preferably in the form of a flat hollow structure made by two metal sheets 30 and 3f welded together along their edges and at intermediate points but slightly spaced apart elsewhere to form channels for the flow of refrigerant vapor through the hollow part of the condenser bounded by the welded edges. One of the sheets, such as sheet 30, is provided with reversely bent extensions 32 forming the vertical edges of the condenser, these extensions being secured by I bolts 33 to one of the walls l4 of the cabinet. The reverselybent extensions 32 are flue forming means along thevertical edges of the condenser, such that, when the refrigerator is placed adjacent one of the walls 34 of the building which contains the refrigerator, an air current inducing flue 35 is formed between the condenser and the wall 34 and another air current inducing flue 36 is formed between the condenser and one of the upwardly directed side walls l4 of the cabinet. Thus a natural convection air cooling current is produced on .one or both sides of the condenser I9 to provide efficient cooling of the condenser.

The refrigerant translating device IS, in its operation, requires a certain amount of heat dissipation and this is accomplished by providing one or more openings 31 in one of the upwardly directed side walls, such as wall l4, through which the air heated by the refrigerant translating device l 9 may flow upwardly from the compartment or zone I I along the edge of the condenser outside of the flues 35 or 36 previously described. In order to prevent any of the air heated by the translating device I!) from entering either or both of the flues 35 or 36, a baffle 38 is attached to the condenser by means of bolts 39, this baiile extending between the two side extensions 32 and vertically throughout the vertical extent of the compartment or zone ll. Thus it will be seen that air cooling the translating device II and flows through the openings 31 upwardly along the edges of the condenser. At the same time unheated air enters the bottom of the flue 36 at the edge 40 between the bottoms of sheet 30 and baffle 38 and unheated air enters the bottom of the flue 35 at the edge 4|, this air being substantially unheated by the translating device l9. This enhances the cooling efliciency of the air cooling currents flowing past the condenser without impairing the cooling effect on the compressor l9.

The compressor or translating device If! pref- |9 enters" through the open bottom l2 of the compartment erably is supported on the condenser 20 by providing vertical and substantially triangular supporting walls 42 extending from the baffle 38 of condenser 20 into the compartment H and carrying a supporting base 43 on which the compressor I9 is mounted by means of resilient supports 43a. The base 43 is provided with a forked terminal 50 which engages the cross bar 5| which extends across the bottom of compartment II and is secured to the lower framework of walls I3 and I5. The condenser is'attached at the top by bolts 33 and at the bottom by bolts 52 passing through base 43 and cross bar 53 forming the lower framework of wall |4. Thus when the condenser 20 is removed from the cabinet by removing the bolts 33 and 52, the compressor I9 is removed along with the condenser.

The evaporator 2| may be supported in the food compartment ID by means of bolts 45 built into the food compartment ID. The evaporator 2| may be released fromthe bolts by the re moval of the fastening devices or nuts on the bolts. The cabinet may be provided with a removable cover 46, such that upon the removal of the cover 46 the evaporator 2| may swing upwardly and over the top of the cabinet to be removed from the cabinet along with the condenser 20 and compressor l9. To facilitate this removal, the cabinet may be provided with a notch 41 which permits the refrigerant lines to be embedded in the walls of the cabinet and not interfere with the sealing effect of the door l8. However, the connection with the evaporator can be made in any other manner, and the notch 41 need not be used. The construction of the notch 41 is more fully described in the patent to Harry B. Hull for Refrigerating apparatus, No. 2,084A94, dated June 22, 1937.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having upwardly directed side walls and an interior food preserving compartment, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet and including a refrigerant translating device, a condenser and an evaporator, said evaporator being in thermal exchange relationship with said food' preserving compartment, said condenser being a substan-' tially flat hollow structure formed of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions and having flue forming means associated with its edges to space the condenser from a wall of the building in which the refrigerator is placed and to enclose an air current inducing flue between said condenser and said wall of the building,

\ said refrigerant translating device being supcompartment, said condenser being a substantially fiat hollow structure formed of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions and forming an air current inducing flue between said condenser and one of said side walls, said refrigerant translating device being supported on the lower part of said cabinet, andmeans to direct air warmed by said translating device along an edge of said condenser outside said flue.

3. A'refrigerator comprising a cabinet having upwardly directed side walls, a bottom, wall spaced from the floor upon which said cabinet rests, and an interior food preserving compartment, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet and including a refrigerant translating device, a condenser and an evaporator, said evap orator being in thermal exchange relationship with said food preserving compartment, said condenser being a substantially'flat hollow structure formed of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions secured to one of said side walls and having asupport for supporting'said refrigerant translating device under'said bottom wall, said condenser having flue forming means along its edges to form an air current inducing flue between said condenser and said side wall, and means to direct the air heated by said refrigerant translating device along an edge of said condenser outside said flue.

4. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having upwardly directed side walls, a bottom wall spaced from the floor upon which said cabinet rests, and an interior food preserving compartment, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet and including a refrigerant translating device, a condenser and an evaporator, said evaporator being in thermal exchange relationship with said food preserving compartment, said condenser being a substantially flat hollow structure formed of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions secured to one of said side walls and having a support for supporting said refrigerant translating device under said bottom wall, said condenser having flue forming means along its edges to form an air current inducing flue between said condenser and a wall of the building in which the refrigerator is placed, and means to direct the air heated by said refrigerant translating device along an edge of said condenser outside said flue.

5. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having upwardly directed side walls and an interior food preserving compartment, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet and including a refrigerant translating device, a condenser and an evaporator, said evaporator being in thermal exchange relationship with said food preserving compartment, said condenser being a substantially flat hollow structure formed of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions having reversely bent extensions along its vertical edges secured to a side wall of said cabinet and forming an air current inducing flue between said cabinet and condenser and adapted to form an air current inducing flue between said condenser and a wall of the building in which the refrigerator is placed, said cabinet having at its lower portion a compartment open.

ing a refrigerant translating device, a condenser and an evaporator, said evaporator being in thermal exchange relationship with said food preserving compartment, said condenser being a substantially flat hollow structure formed of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions having reversely bent extensions along its vertical edges secured to a side wall of said cabinet and forming an air current inducing flue between said cabinet and condenser and adapted to form an air current inducing flue between said condenser and a wall of the building in which the refrigerator is placed, said cabinet having at its lower portion a compartment open at its bottom and provideded with an opening in said side Wall adjacent ,one of said reversely bent extensions, said refrigerant translating device being supported in said last named compartment by said condenser, and means to prevent the flow of air heated by said refrigerant translating device from entering said fiues.

'7. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having upwardly directed side walls, a bottom wall spaced from the iioor'upon which said cabinet rests, and an interior food preserving compartment, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet and including a refrigerant translating device, a condenser and an evaporator, said evaporator being in thermal exchange relationship with said food preserving compartment, said condenser being a substantially fiat hollow structure formed of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions secured to one of said side walls, means for supporting said translating device in the space under said bottom wall, and means to direct air heated by said translating device out of said space and upwardly away from said condenser.

8. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having upwardly directed side walls, a bottom wall spaced from the floor upon which said cabinet rests, and an interior food preserving compartment, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet and including a refrigerant translating device, a condenser and an evaporator, said evaporator being in thermal exchange relationship with said food preserving compartment, said condenser being a substantially fiat hollow structure formed .of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions secured to one of said side walls and having a support for supporting said refrigerant translating device in'the space under said bottom wall and means to direct air heated by said translating device out of said space and upwardly away from said condenser.

, 9. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having upwardly directed side walls, a bottom wall spaced from the floor upon which said cabinet rests, and an interior food preserving compartment, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet and including a refrigerant translating device, a condenser and an evaporator, said evaporator being in thermal exchange relationship with said food preserving compartment, said condenser being a substantially flat hollow structure formed of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions secured to one of said side walls and having a support for supporting said refrigerant translating device in the space under said bottom wall, said cabinet having an opening in a side wall below said food preserving compartment, said flat hollow structure extending over said opening and said translating device being supported from said flat hollow structure and extending into said opening.

10. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having upwardly directed side walls, a bottom wall spaced from the floor upon which said cabinet rests, and an interior food preserving compartment, a refrigerating system associated with said cabinet and including a refrigerant translating device, a condenser and an evaporator, said evaporator being in thermal exchange relationship with said food preserving compartment, said condenser being a substantially fiat hollow structure formed of superimposed and secured together sheet metal portions secured to one of said side walls and having a support for supporting said refrigerant translating device in the space under said bottom wall, said fiat hollow structure and said translating device being remov able as a unit from said cabinet.

11. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet provided with a machinery compartment and a cooling compartment, means including a refrigerant evaporator for abstracting heat from said cooling compartment, a rigid vertical condenser extending over a major portion of an exterior vertical side wall of said cabinet, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said condenser and rigidly secured thereto, means including said condenser for supporting said refrigerant circulatory unit in said machinery compartment, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

12. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet provided with a machinery compartment and accoling compartment above said machinery compartment, means including a refrigerant evaporator for abstracting heat from said cooling compartment, a rigid vertical condenser extending over a major portion of a rear wall of saidcabinet, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said condenser and rigidly secured thereto, means including said condenser for supporting said refrigerant circulatory unit in said machinery compartment, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator. I

13. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet provided with a machinery compartment and a cooling compartment, means including a refrigerant evaporator for abstracting heat from said cooling compartment, a rigid vertical condenser including complementary portions of sheet metal defining a refrigerant passage therebetween, said condenser extending over the major portion of a vertical wall of said cabinet, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said condenser and rigidly secured thereto, means including said condenser for supporting said refrigerant circulatory unit in said machinery compartment, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

14. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet provided with a machinery compartment and a cooling compartment above said machinery compartment, means including a refrigerant evaporator for abstracting heat from said cooling compartment, a rigid verticaLcondenser including complementary portions of sheet metal defining a refrigerant passage therebetween, said condenser extending over the major portion of the rear wall of said cabinet, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said condenser and rigidly secured thereto, means including said condenser for supporting said' refrigerant circulatory unit in said machinery compartment, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

15. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet provided with a machinery compartment and a cooling compartment, means including a refrigerant evaporator for abstracting heat from said cooling compartment, a rigid vertical condenser extending over the major portion of a vertical wall of said cabinet, said condenser including a pair of complementary sheet metal portions having an extended refrigerant passage therebetween, said sheet metal portions being provided with transversely extending reenforcing sections therein, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said sheet metal portions and rigidly secured thereto, means including said sheet metal portions for supporting said refrigerant circulatory unit in said machinery compartment, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

16. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet provided with a machinery compartment and a cool ing compartment, means including a refrigerant evaporator for abstracting heat from said cooling compartment, a rigid vertical condenser extending over the major portion of a vertical wall of said cabinet, said condenser including a pair of complementary sheet metal portions having an extended refrigerant passage therebetween, means supporting said condenser in spaced relation to said wall of said cabinet for facilitating the circulation of cooling air over said condenser, refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said sheet metal portions and rigidly secured thereto, means including said sheet metal portions for supporting said refrigerant circulatory unit in said machinery compartment, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

17. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet provided with a machinery compartment and a cooling compartment above said machinery compartment, means including a refrigerant evaporator for abstracting heat from said cooling compartment, a rigid vertical condenser extending over the major portion of the rear wall of said cabinet, said condenser including a pair of complementary sheet metal portions having an extended refrigerant passage therebetween, means supporting said condenser in spaced relation to said cabinet for facilitating the circulation of cooling air over said condenser, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said sheet metal portions and rigidly secured thereto, means including said sheet metal portions for supporting said refrigerant circulatory unit in said machinery compartment, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

18. A refrigerating machine separable from a cabinet or the like used therewith and comprising an air cooled condenser including a plurality of complementary sheet metal portions, means for securing said sheet metal portions together, at least one of said sheet metal portions having an indentation therein cooperating with the other of said sheet metal portions to form an extended refrigerant passage therebetween, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said sheet metal portions and supported thereby, an

evaporator, means for flexibly connecting said evaporator to said condenser, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

19. A refrigerating machine separable from a cabinet or the like used therewith comprising an air cooled condenser including a plurality of complementary sheet metal portions, means for securing said sheet metal portions together, at least one of said sheet metal portions having an indentation therein cooperating with the other of said sheet metal portions to form an extended refrigerant passage therebetween, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said sheet metal portions and supported thereby adjacent one end thereof, an evaporator, means for flexibly connecting said evaporator to said condenser adjacent the opposite end thereof, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

20. A refrigerating machine separable from a cabinet or the like used therewith comprising an air cooled condenser including a plurality of complementary sheet metal portions, means for securing said sheet metal portions together, at least one of said sheet metal portions having an indentation therein cooperating with the other of said sheet metal portions to form an extended refrigerant passage therebetween, said sheet metal portions being provided with transversely extending reenforcing sections therein, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said sheet metal portions and supported thereby, an evaporator, means for flexibly connecting said evaporator to said condenser, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

21. A refrigerating machine separable from a cabinet or the like used therewith comprising an air cooled condenser including a plurality of complementary sheet metal portions, means for securing said sheet metal portions together, at

least one of said sheet metal portions having an indentation therein cooperating with the other of said sheet metal portions to form an extended refrigerant passage therebetween, at least one of said sheet metal portions being of a channelshaped cross section, a refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally from said sheet metal portions and supported thereby, an evaporator. means for flexibly connecting said evaporator to said condenser, and means including said refrigerant circulatory unit and said condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator.

22. A refrigerating machine separable from a cabinet or the like used therewith comprising an air cooled condenser including a plurality of complementary corrugated sheet metal portions, means for securing said sheet metal portions together, at least one of said sheet metal portions having an indentation therein cooperating with the other of said sheet metal portions to form an extended refrig rant passage therebetween, a

refrigerant circulatory unit extending laterally 

